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Whaley House

The Whaley House is a historical house located in the Old Town San Diego. This house was not only a residence but a general store, execution site, courthouse, theatre- you can read up on the extensive history from their official website. About 35% of their visitors are non-locals visiting San Diego to go to many of the main tourist attractions. Many local San Diegoans go there as children on school field trips or with their day camp groups, so at least all the locals go there at one time in their lives. According to their site, the Whaley House is the number one haunted house according to the Travel Channel. This leads me to believe that there are strange paranormal happenings that do exist in that house. Talking with the docent patiently waiting for a question by a brave soul that would ask one- apparently, most things happen to children there. According to the docent, “Children are most affected by the energy of the house and notice strange things more than adults while in the house.” Also, he noted that strange things have occurred first hand for him, he smelled perfume (not modern scented, but rose scented) and footsteps clacking upstairs before the house opened (no one else inside). This is contrary to the belief that the spirits come out at night, all of his occurrences happened before 10 am. He also has found puzzle pieces on the opposite side of the room from the night previous, like the puzzle was thrown during the night. There are even pictures in the gallery there with blurs and lines to prove some cameras have captured spirits (pre-digital). The house is loaded with old style pictures, I would describe some as still-life, traditional paintings. Personally, I did feel a strangeness in the air while walking around but I do gather that maybe from my preconceived notion that this was a spirited house.